The Doctor's Promise
by AnnCarter
Summary: When he invited her to join him in the TARDIS, the Doctor made Rose a silent promise - that he wouldn't leave her. Three times he reminded her of that promise. Three Ten/Rose one-shots, set in series 2. Spoilers up until The Satan Pit.
1. Part 1

_All rights for Doctor Who are the BBC's. Sadly, I own nothing._

 _Set in the beginning of New Earth._

* * *

Part One:

"I heard you, you know," The Doctor said as he sat down on the grass next to Rose, looking at her. His brown eyes seemed serious. She frowned, and he added, "When you told Jackie I left you."

She blushed deeply and looked away. "I didn't know that."

He looked at her silently, his eyes focused on her. From the corner of her eye she could see his intent look and couldn't help but wonder what he wanted her to say. What could she say? She now knew he didn't; but back then, how could she know? He'd regenerated – how was she supposed to know what it meant?

"I'm sorry," She said quietly. He kept looking at her, apparently waiting for more. _Is he angry?_ She asked herself. _Is he mad at me?_ "I didn't know you didn't. I _couldn't_ know! I've been traveling with you for all that time, and you were gone just like that! What was I supposed to think?" She hesitated before adding, "Sometimes it feels like you're all… _normal_ , and if you were…"

He kept looking at her silently, his face impassive. She'd seen him passing judgement on other beings, and looking at his face, she wondered if he was doing the same thing to her. Unable to take his silence anymore, she asked, "Are you mad at me?"

"Mad?" He seemed surprised. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"I don't know." She looked away again. "It's just… the way you were looking at me…"

"No!" He gently took her hand with his, the one that wasn't busy holding him against the grass. "Rose, I'm not angry. I'm just… disappointed."

"Disappointed?" She asked, just as surprised as he was.

"Well… I thought you knew by now that I wouldn't leave you." She looked at him through her hair, hiding herself while watching him intently. "Rose, I wouldn't have even been here if it weren't for you. You saved my life. More than once, to be fair." She smiled. "Like I said, I only take the best. And you're the only one I took with me since the Time War. I might be different now, but that hasn't changed, and it never will, either."

"Because I really thought…" She started hesitantly, "I really thought you wouldn't want me there anymore. I didn't know what to think. You always saved me when we were in trouble, but then things were happening and you changed, and for all I knew someone could have taken you the way the Daleks took me." She paused. Her voice was quieter when she continued. "I thought you were dying again. I tried looking after you, but you kept sleeping and your fever was so high…"

"But I woke up." His voice was soft. "When you whispered in my ear, that little 'help me', those two tiny little words, I woke up. That's very me, isn't it?" She nodded. "The moment I knew you needed me, I was there for you. Just like I always will be."

"That was the first moment I thought it might be you," She admitted quietly after a long moment of silence. He turned to look at her, surprised. "I know I said it was you on the TARDIS, but I just… I didn't really believe it until that moment."

"Well, now you know." He smiled at her. She returned him a smile, nodding. "And I want to make sure it's clear," He added, turning serious. "I'm never going to leave you, Rose. That's a promise. I don't care what happens. It's you and me. Remember that."

She gently squeezed his hand. "It's you and me," She agreed. "Forever, yeah?"

"Yeah." He grinned, prompting her to grin back at him. "So," He continued, letting go of her hand. "The year five billion, the sun expands, the Earth gets roasted."

"That was our first date."

"We had chips." They grinned at each other again, remembering their very first trip together. "So anyway, planet gone, all rocks and dust, but the human race lives on, spread out across the stars. Soon as the Earth burns up, oh yeah, they get all nostalgic, but revival movement, but then find this place. Same size as the Earth, same air, same orbit. Lovely. Call goes out, the humans move in."

"What's the city called?" Rose asked, looking at the large city in front of them.

"New New York."

"Oh, come on."

"It is!" He insisted. "It's the city of New New York. Strictly speaking, it's the fifteenth New York since the original, so that makes it New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York." Rose looked at him, looking amused and something more, that he couldn't quite fathom. "What?"

"You're so different."

"New New Doctor." He grinned at her and she grinned back. _New New Doctor alright,_ she thought as she looked at him. But now that she knew he was still the Doctor, she didn't really mind. He's made a promise, and she knows he's never going to leave.


	2. Part 2

_Set after School Reunion._

* * *

Part Two:

Looking at the Doctor, Sarah Jane and K-9, Rose couldn't help but feel jealousy running within her heart. The Doctor may have made a promise to never leave her, but here he was, chatting happily with Sarah Jane and the metal dog, to whom he'd also promised he'd never leave them. So much for keeping his promises.

She took the opportunity to confront the Doctor as they left the coffee shop, taking advantage of the fact Mickey, Sarah Jane and the dog all left before they did.

"I've been to the year five billion, right, but this? Now this is really seeing the future. You just leave us behind. Is that what you're going to do to me?" Pain, anger and jealousy all fought within her, making her lose her temper faster than she ever believed was possible.

The Doctor's voice was strained when he replied, and she could sense pain radiating from him. "No. Not to you."

"But Sarah Jane?" She insisted, "You were that close to her once, and now you never even mention her. Why not?"

He stopped in his place, looking at her intently. His brown eyes seemed darker than she'd ever seen them. His pain was written all over him as he spoke again. "I don't age. I regenerate. But humans decay. You wither and you die. Imagine watching that happen to someone you…"

Her look turned softer. "What, Doctor?"

"You can spend the rest of your life with me," His voice was quiet and filled with pain, begging her to understand. "But I can't spend the rest of mine with you. I have to live on. Alone. That's the curse of the Time Lords."

* * *

The Krillitane's attack cut their conversation off, but neither Rose nor the Doctor forgot about it. In the end of the day, once Mickey had retired to sleep and Rose hinted she was about to do the same, the Doctor stopped her, looking at the console intently.

"Rose." His voice was quiet and filled with too many emotions for her to name them all. She stopped and turned to look at him, hoping he was going to say something about that conversation. "You should know… when I said I won't do that to you, I meant it."

"Didn't you mean it when you said that to everyone else?" She asked softly, using the softness of her voice to try and hide her pain and fear. He wasn't fooled by it; he could sense her emotions through any disguise.

He surprised her when he shook his head and said, "I didn't say it to everyone else."

She blinked in surprise. "What?"

He finally looked up at her, his brown eyes once again dark with emotion. "I didn't say it to others," He said simply. "Those who travel with me… who _used to_ travel with me," He corrected, "They always knew it's not going to last forever. Traveling with me was always temporary."

"Sarah Jane didn't," She reminded him quietly.

He nodded slightly. "That was my mistake. I should have said goodbye before I left." He looked away again, his fingers drumming over the console in front of him. "I never know when and how it's going to end, but I always know it will. It has to. Some leave, some get hurt…" She could practically hear his self-loathing in his voice. "Some get left behind. I never promise it'll be forever, because it can't be, and I know it."

Hesitantly, not entirely sure she wanted to know the answer, she stepped closer to him and asked, "Then why promise me this?"

He looked up at her, surprise in his eyes. "Because you're Rose Tyler," He said, his tone indicating it was obvious. She frowned, having no idea what he was talking about. He sighed quietly. "Remember what I told you when we sat on the grass in New Earth?"

Still frowning, she nodded. "Yeah."

"I told you I wouldn't have been here if it weren't for you." She nodded briefly, telling him she remembered. "I meant it. How many times did you save me? I wouldn't have been the man I am today if it weren't for everything you've done for me. Everything you've changed in me."

"So… What? It's about gratitude?" She asked, her voice shaking slightly. Gratitude was nice, but deep down, that's not what she'd hoped for. Not from him.

He shook his head. "Of course not," He said dismissively. He hesitated before he continued, his eyes meeting hers. "I can't imagine doing this without you, Rose," He admitted simply, causing her heart to skip a beat. "And when I told you I'd never leave you… I meant it. I know meeting Sarah Jane made you doubt it, but my promise hasn't changed. If I ever end up leaving you behind, I hope you know I'll come back, no matter how hard it would be or how long it would take."

Looking at him silently, she made the few steps between them and gently took one of his hands with hers. How could she ever doubt him? She knew he'd never do that to her, deep down, in that place in her heart where she knew the Doctor better than anybody else. He promised her. She knew it.

"It's you and me, yeah?" She asked, smiling.

He smiled back at her. "It's you and me," He confirmed, holding her hand tightly. "Yeah."


	3. Part 3

_Set after The Satan Pit._

* * *

Part Three:

As soon as they dropped Ida, Danny and Zach off, the Doctor turned the TARDIS towards a random, quiet planet nearby, where he knew they'd be safe for the night. After the adventure they've just gone through, they were both exhausted and in desperate need of sleep.

As soon as they landed, Rose left the console room, hurrying towards her own room. Too many feelings were fighting for dominance inside her mind, and the only thing she wanted was to shut them all up and get some sleep. After a quick shower she lay down in her bed, wearing her favourite pyjamas and wrapping herself tightly in her warm blanket. The TARDIS started making calming hamming noises, trying to help her relax.

Within a few minutes she was asleep.

* * *

In the console room, the Doctor was looking at one of the monitors, following Rose's sleep. He knew she wouldn't like that if she ever found out, but at the same time, he felt a strong, overpowering need to make sure she's sleeping well. At least that night, after everything they've gone through on the impossible planet.

 _She's fine,_ The TARDIS tried to calm him. He shook his head slightly. _She's right here and she's fine. Get some sleep yourself._

 _In a minute,_ He responded, his eyes following her every breath. He had to know she was alright first; had to know she's safe and asleep in her bed…

And then she screamed.

Within a heartbeat he was running towards her room. He didn't even stop to think before opening the door and turning the lights on, already mumbling soothing words to startled Rose. At first she stared at him, shocked and unsure what was happening, but as the memories of her nightmare slowly filled her mind, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, shivering in his arms.

"Rose," He whispered, hugging her just as tightly, "It's okay. It was just a dream. You're safe."

She nodded against his shoulder, barely managing to stop herself from crying. She dreamed about the Satan creature and dying in battle, being left behind by the Doctor. She knew it was just a nightmare, but it was so realistic that it filled her with such terror she's never felt.

Sensing that, the Doctor continued speaking, knowing she needed something to take her mind off it. "You're in the TARDIS, just like you should be. And I'm right here with you. Nothing happened. You're safe. It was just a nightmare. I promise. Whatever it was, I'm not gonna let it happen to you."

"But what if we can't stop it?" She whispered, tears making their way down her cheeks. "What if it has to happen?"

His muscles clenched for a moment as he shook his head. "No." His voice was dark, the tone of voice she'd only heard when he faced the Daleks. The Oncoming Storm's voice. "I'm not gonna let it happen."

"Doctor," She pulled back slightly to look into his eyes. "What if he was right? What if I'm going to die in battle?"

His brown eyes met hers, silently telling her he'd fight the entire universe if he has to in order to keep her safe with him. "Remember the promise I made to you?" He asked, surprising her. His eyes were still dark and filled with emotions, but his voice was calm. "Remember what I promised?"

She nodded. "But what if we can't stop it?" She repeated, looking at him through a shade of tears.

Understanding he won't be able to calm her just by talking, the Doctor gently let go of her and held his fingers against her temples. Knowing what he intended to do, she nodded, silently giving him permission to create the telepathic link. The moment she nodded, he connected his mind with hers, looking for the nightmare she'd had.

She stared at him, wide eyed, as he took her memories of the nightmare and showed her how many ways there were to change it. He was filled with confidence and she could feel his determination running through him; his decision to never let her go weaved permanently into his whole existence. Underneath his constant pain and his newly-formed anger towards whoever-it-was-that-tried-to-take-her-away she could feel his softness, reassuring her he would keep his promise, no matter what happens.

 _It's you and me,_ his emotions, which he channelled to her, seemed to be telling her. _The Doctor and Rose in the TARDIS. I won't let them break us apart, no matter what._

And then his hands moved away and the link was broken, leaving her feeling somewhat empty.

His eyes, looking at her, were no longer the Oncoming Storm's eyes – they were filled with softness, holding a silent promise. There was a certain vulnerability in them, as if he was showing her a part of himself he'd never showed anyone else, and Rose immediately wanted to hug him. Instead, she let him take her hands, still looking at her.

"I don't care what he said," He said quietly, his hands gently holding hers. "I don't care who and what he was. If there's one thing I know-" _If there's one thing I believe in, I believe in her!_ "-It's that I won't let anything take you away. I won't leave you behind, no matter what happens."

She nodded slowly, her eyes still filled with tears. "The Doctor and Rose in the TARDIS," She whispered.

He smiled. "Exactly."

Slowly, she returned him a smile, prompting him to smile wider. "Do you think we could… I dunno, watch a movie or something?" She asked shyly.

Knowing he needed the break after the day's events just as much as she did, he nodded. "Sure. But it's my turn to pick."

She grinned at him as she got up. "You picked the last time around!"

He pouted, making her laugh. "But we didn't even watch it!"

"It's not my fault that you decided to land in the middle of a war!" She retorted, still laughing as she did.

"Oi!" Despite the tone of his voice, he grinned at her, taking one of her hands with his. His smile, just like his eyes, held the same silent promise he made all that time ago – the Doctor and Rose in the TARDIS, together forever.


End file.
